[Kok! Health] 'Osteoporosis' Causing Holes in Bones... Get Proper Treatment with a Blood Test

Cause and Effect Must Be Properly Understood for Greater Treatment Effectiveness

With the arrival of May, the month of family, and the warming weather, outdoor activities are increasing. However, osteoporosis patients need to be cautious during outdoor activities. This is because there is a greater risk of visiting the hospital due to wrist, spine, and hip fractures caused by falls while outside.

[Photo by Clipart Korea]

As aging accelerates, the number of osteoporosis patients is also rapidly increasing. According to the National Health Insurance Service on the 27th, the number of patients treated for osteoporosis in 2021 exceeded 1.13 million, surpassing one million. This is a 24.6% increase compared to 2017. As aging progresses, various causes lead to decreased muscle strength and balance, increasing the risk of falls, and weakened bone density makes it possible to suffer serious fractures from minor impacts during daily life.

The problem is that once osteoporosis fractures begin, patients fall into a vicious cycle of refractures and secondary fractures. Most patients only realize they have osteoporosis after a bone fracture, and once a fracture occurs, the probability of refracture and secondary fracture increases by 2 to 10 times. Osteoporosis fractures result in refractures in about 25% of patients within 4 years, mainly occurring again within 1 to 2 years after the initial fracture.

If the life of lying down due to fractures caused by falls is prolonged, muscles decrease, leading to rapid frailty and slowed blood circulation, increasing the risk of stroke. Statistics also show that 20% of elderly people who experience falls die within a year. Osteoporosis is a disease that is difficult not only for the patient but also significantly lowers the quality of life of the family and caregivers.

However, about 70% of osteoporosis patients discontinue treatment within a year. This is partly because the administration methods of medications are complicated, but mainly because there is no visible effect in practice. Many patients also worry about side effects.

Therefore, osteoporosis blood tests that improve diagnostic accuracy and treatment effectiveness are gaining attention. The existing X-ray test, used as the standard for bone density measurement, currently measures only bone mass and diagnoses the static state of the bone. It is difficult to identify the main causes of osteoporosis, and the test results can only be confirmed after 1 to 2 years.

On the other hand, osteoporosis blood tests such as type 1 procollagen amino-terminal propeptide quantification (P1NP) and C-terminal telopeptide of type 1 collagen (CTX) allow progress to be checked within just 3 months after starting treatment. P1NP refers to a protein related to bone formation, and CTX is related to bone resorption. Blood tests reflect the bone turnover rate and focus on measuring the biomechanical changes of the bone, allowing a more detailed identification of the causes of osteoporosis such as bone formation, bone loss, and calcium metabolism regulation. Accurate diagnosis helps with early treatment and enhances treatment effectiveness.

In particular, unlike X-ray tests that can confirm treatment response based on an annual change rate of 2 to 5%, osteoporosis blood tests can observe treatment response with a 30 to 200% change rate over 3 to 6 months. Osteoporosis treatment requires close monitoring over a wider range of change rates to improve treatment outcomes. Osteoporosis blood tests are recommended as standard tests for treatment monitoring and fracture risk prediction by the International Osteoporosis Foundation and the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry.

During the treatment process, medical staff can evaluate treatment results by assessing patient medication adherence based on osteoporosis blood tests. If there is no improvement in treatment effect, medical issues including medication storage methods can be checked, and appropriate measures such as changing medication can be taken to help improve patient treatment.

Professor Yu Gi-hyung of Kyung Hee University Hospital’s Department of Orthopedics said, “To prevent osteoporosis refractures, it is important to manage osteoporosis through medication adherence including regular consultations with specialists, as well as maintaining health through exercise and diet control.” He added, “Osteoporosis management requires not only simple bone density tests but also appropriate blood tests.” He continued, “Essential blood tests such as CTX and P1NP, which can show the current status of bone absorption and formation in real time, allow patients to directly see the results of medication intake, greatly improving treatment adherence. The P1NP test can be done regardless of fasting, while the CTX test yields more accurate results when performed after fasting overnight and in the morning on the test day.”